I wish I could be more like my daughter.
She is confident and kind. Always inclusive, and never has a mean thing to say about anyone, not even about the people who may not treat her the best. She makes it known to my husband and me that she’s always thankful and grateful about things we do for her.
She makes me proud in so many ways, but the quality that I admire most is how she shines so bright all on her own without much help from me.
The other night, my daughter went to a birthday party at our next-door neighbor’s house. He is a year older and goes to a different school than she does, so she would not know a soul at this party. I was nervous for her because I know how I would have felt had I been in her position. I would probably have gone to the party for a few minutes, played on my phone, and found an excuse to leave shortly after I got there.
I walked her over and hung back a bit as she ran down their driveway without even looking back at me. As soon as I got back to our house, I made sure to open my back screen door, and very quickly, I could hear her squeals of delight and her starting chants for the birthday boy. When she got home later that night, I asked her if she had fun, and she replied, “I had the BEST time.” I asked if there was anyone she knew at the party, and she answered back, “No, but I made so many new friends, and they were all really nice.” I told her I thought it was great that she made new friends, and in my head, I was thinking about how I was in complete awe over the fact that she was able to adapt to the situation quickly.
I hope that her fearlessness, boldness, and kindness never change. She is such a special person, not just to me, but to everyone who has a chance to get to know her.
The world may be a scary place at times, but I know that with her kind heart, fierce mind, and brave spirit, she will be able to do anything. I wish I could be more like my daughter.
Melissa was born and raised in Fairfield County. She currently lives in Stamford with her husband and their 6-year-old daughter and their boy/girl twins, born December 2018. She works for a pediatric group in Fairfield as a mental health therapist, a job she truly loves and is thankful for the children she sees day to day that keep her hip, cool, and in the know of all things adolescent. She spends most of her free time going on dates with her handsome hubby, nature walks and playgrounds with the kiddos, snuggling her sweet puppy, and spending way too much money at Target.
